The news barely skimmed NBA circles early on Friday, because the hiring of former Anschutz Entertainment Group President and CEO Tim Leiweke to run Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment seemed to only count towards NHL matters. MLSE owns the Toronto Raptors, to be sure, but for a while there the team appeared pretty ensconced moving forward after allowing current president Bryan Colangelo to swing for a massive deal for forward Rudy Gay in February.

Now there are whispers that are whispering back at the whispers that could place Phil Jackson in Colangelo’s chair, taking control of a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2008. ESPN’s Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne came through with the report on Friday:

Sources told ESPN.com this week that the Raptors have interest in talking with Jackson about the Pat Riley-style role he craves in charge of a team's basketball operations. ESPN.com reported last week that Jackson, after nearly two seasons in retirement, is "itching" to return to the NBA next season, but preferably in a role similar to Riley's in Miami that allows him to oversee both the basketball department and the coaching staff, or perhaps as a high-level consultant like Jerry West in Golden State.

Leiweke is a major player the sports industry and Jackson is all-too-familiar with his work in Los Angeles, where he helped get the Staples Center built for the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers, as well as the Kings of the NHL. Leiweke also has a longstanding, productive relationship with Jackson's fiance, Lakers executive Jeanie Buss.

[…]

It is understood that Colangelo will have to make a presentation to the Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment board that owns the Raptors in coming days in hopes of getting his option picked up. Colangelo was adamant Monday that Casey will stay on as coach if he stays, while MLSE chief operating officer Tim Anselmi told the National Post's Bruce Arthur that the Colangelo decision would be made "with patience."

Colangelo has been a disappointment as a Raptors executive. He inherited star forward Chris Bosh upon taking the job in 2005, but proceeded to whiff on both choosing Andrea Bargnani first overall in the 2006 draft (not the most damning move, as several executives would have done the same), and more importantly re-signing Bargnani to a terrible contract that no other suitor was offering a few months later.

The former Suns general manager then went on to compound that mistake by adding several middling and similar talents on the wing, leading up to the trade for Gay that will saddle the Raptors with a roster that will sidle up to the luxury tax in 2013-14 even if the team decides to use the amnesty clause and waive forward Linas Kleiza this summer. The Raptors went 17-18 with Gay in the lineup following the deal, which sent promising forward Ed Davis and guard Jose Calderon’s expiring contract away, while the Memphis Grizzlies (Gay’s former team) finished the season on a 27-11 tear.

Jackson, as we talked about last week, would hardly be counted on to stay up all night going over game tape. It’s more than likely he’s far from capable when it comes to understanding the ins and outs of the NBA’s newest Collective Bargaining Agreement (which was put in place six months after Jackson and the Los Angeles Lakers parted ways in 2011), and he’s shown an aversion to the sorts of advanced statistics that have helped other teams get out of the salted crops their predecessors left them.

If Leiweke did hit a home run and successful court Jackson, though, Phil wouldn’t need many trips to NBA.com’s stat tool to recognize that Colangelo has stacked the roster with middling, overpaid and inefficient players who don’t contribute much defensively.

As Stein and Shelburne noted, though, this is all in the long shot phase, currently. If the NBA does allow for the Sacramento Kings to relocate to Seattle, Jackson would be at the top of the new ownership’s list of candidates for overall front office el jefe. The Brooklyn Nets would no doubt love to make a splash and gauge Jackson’s interest in coaching again with a potential eight-figure offer, and even though the Los Angeles Lakers are still paying two coaches in Mike Brown and Mike D’Antoni, and Jackson’s relationship with front office boss Jim Buss is reportedly strained … there’s still a chance. There are no second acts in American life, but Los Angeles doesn’t usually count in that regard.

Would Jackson take to Canadian life? That aspect wouldn’t seem to factor much into things, though pointing out that Jackson spends most of his time in his offseason home in Montana would be missing the point. Toronto is one of the world’s more active, bustling cities; and though the metropolis is slick and streamlined, in a way that could work against the mellow mood of the Malibu and Montana-dwelling Jackson.

It’s an interesting rumor. Whatever decision Leiweke goes with, though, understand that either the current or former person in charge of the Toronto Raptors roster is in for tough, tough gig.

I was going to write a quick collection of thoughts on how the appointment of Tim Leiweke to President and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is good news for the Raptors going forward because of his breadth of NBA experience.

And then this happened…

Suffice to say, this story has just taken on a much more massive role than just “Leiweke is good news for the Raptors.”

The obvious warning I’d give to fans that are already celebrating Phil Jackson’s 12th championship parade – only this time down Bay Street – is that this is a mere report right now. There’s no telling whether the Raptors plan to pick up Bryan Colangelo’s team option for next season, whether they’ll even make a pitch to Jackson or whether Phil would actually listen. But remember, Jackson is reportedly looking to move on from coaching by running an NBA team from the top, and the Raptors would give him the ability to do so in one of the NBA’s biggest markets.

In addition, as Stein notes, Leiweke has obvious ties to Los Angeles. He’s been serving as the President and CEO of Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), which owns the Kings (NHL), Galaxy (MLS) and a share of the Lakers, in addition to the Staples Center and the L.A. Live entertainment complex (as well as the Home Depot Center). It only makes sense if through all of that, one way or another, Leiweke has built some sort of relationship with Jackson, right?

On that note, part of the reason I was going to post a quick writeup on Leiweke taking over MLSE before the Phil Jackson news even broke is that the hiring represents a positive step forward for the Raptors, as the conglomerate is now run by an influential figure who has hands-on experience in the NBA. In case you weren’t aware, Leiweke served as president of the Nuggets in the past and was actually the first person ever hired by the start up Timberwolves in 1988, where he became Vice President.

(Humorous sidenote – Leiweke’s Wikipedia page has already been updated to read “He will become CEO of MLSE on June 30. And will fire Bryan Colangelo for ruining the game of Basketball for Toronto fans.“)

But back to The Zen Master.

You can question whether one of the greatest coaches and ego managers in sports history would even make a good executive assuming he is brought on somewhere, but the instant credibility Jackson would deliver to Toronto basketball would be unlike anything this city has ever seen. Bigger than Isiah, bigger than Vince, bigger than Bryan. With Phil’s massive presence at the helm, I don’t think I have to explain to you how much more attractive Toronto and the Raptors become to potential future free agents, trade targets and coaching candidates.

On a final note, while there are surely some out there who scoff at the notion of Phil Jackson in Toronto simply because he’s got “too much” money to need this job or because of a general theory about already being “too rich,” I’ll simply leave you with the indelible words of the Million Dollar Man.

Also, head athletic trainer Alex McKechnie also came from the Lakers, so there ground are all there. Phil as a GM sounds legit ?

This is a good idea, which makes me believe it won't happen. Getting rid of that schmuck Colangelo along with Casey and replacing them with a team headed and picked by one of the finest basketball minds of all is too good a move for the Raptors.

This is a good idea, which makes me believe it won't happen. Getting rid of that schmuck Colangelo along with Casey and replacing them with a team headed and picked by one of the finest basketball minds of all is too good a move for the Raptors.

He was a great coaching mind what makes anybody think that he can be a good GM?

I would pull a GoRapz and jizz in my pants and have my mom clean it up if we signed up Phil Jax for an president/gm/coaching role. As was said, give him the reigns and all the money he wants. He would by far be the best and smartest coach we've ever had.

This is a good idea, .....<snip> .... with a team headed and picked by one of the finest basketball minds of all is too good a move for the Raptors.

Good post.

Most of the "Baron's articles" and "value of franchise" news bits consistently rank the Toronto Raptors in the upper half of the NBA based on revenues. The appreciation of the Canadian dollar had a lot to do with it. I recall by memory one estimate that had the Raps in 8th overall revenue back in 2010 as I recall.

There is no reason why this team cannot be a destination team. Yes taxes are higher than Florida and Texas but they are not higher than New York State and Michigan.

If you have the right management and "superstars, stars" legitimately want to play here you can have a quality depth team with persistence.

The big question is will the ownership actually "pay to play" at the luxury tax level.

To the poster "it likey wont happen" - I think Phil may not be interested in joining a franchise that will not pay to play.

Lakers, Knicks, Heat, Mavericks, Celtics etc are always above the cap and often in the luxury. Those are destination franchises.

The only two franchises that won championshipslast 20 years - that seem to be able to do so under the cap are San An and Detroit.

The Pistons came down from that lofty perch. I am not sure that San An wont have to take steps backwards once their single super super star Dunac retires.